I’m not going to say much about today’s passage from the epistles that I read this morning. Going to let the Scripture speak for itself. I will say this much… Sometimes comparing Scripture with Scripture yields rich results! Think about what you’ll read in the next few moments! (One more thing… What I read this morning leaves me in awe of the Apostle Paul – what a secret! What a lesson he learned!”Philippians 4:11–13 (ESV)
“I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATEVER SITUATION I AM TO BE CONTENT. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned THE SECRET of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME!” (Philippians 4:11-13)
“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice! (Philippians 1:12–18)
“Whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (II Corinthians 11:21-28)
